Improvement in mowing-machines



A. L.. 'DARBY.

Mowing Machine.

No. 33,296. Patented Sept. 17, 1861.

ASA L DARBY, OF WVHITE CREEK, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWING=MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,296, dated September 17, 1861.

T0 aZZ wh0m it may cancern:

Be it known that I,. ASA L. DARBY, of White Creek, in the connty of \Vashington and State of New York, have invented new and usefn1 Improvements in Mowing-Machines; and I do hereby declare'that the following is a full, c1ear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification.

The drawing represents one of the forms of construction of mowing-machines with my improvements attached. It is a frame snpported on a pair of wheels having a set of cogs within their inner periphery, which cogs drive a spnr-wheel and axis concerted in the drawing by the framing. On this axis, within the framing, and partia11y shown, is a bevei driving-wheel operating another bevel-wheei fixed npon the forward end of the shaft B, which runs iengthwisc throngh or near the center of the moving or 1ibrating frame F, the center of whose 1ibration is at or near the axis of the spnr-wheei referred to. The outer end of this shaft B carries the crank which operates the knives or cutters in the nsnal manner by a pitman or connecting rod.

The cutter-bar A, to which is affixed the fingers or cntter-gnards 0, is arranged to turn over, when required upon a shaft or axis, E, WhiCh is placed npon (or passes throngh) the front beam of the frame F below the shaft 13, so as to allow the crank which drives the cutters with its eonnecting-rod to pass free of it. It is a1so fitted so as to pass in the rear of and clear of the enter end of the crank-pin. By reference to the drawing it will be seen that this arrangement Will permit the cutter-bar A to be tnrned over from its position, as shown, to one in line with it on the opposite side of the frame that is to be tdrned over one hundred and eighty degrees of a oircie, yct allow the cutters to operate as W611 as in their first position. In order to keep the cutters in place, the guards or fingers 0 are made alike in shape npon their upper and lower parts, the cutters working through a s1ot in each of them, so that their biades being simi1ar in form npon their npper and 1ower edges ont eqnally we1l either side np. To hold the cutter-bar at its proper height for cutting and to allow a little p1ay for inequaiities of ground surface, projecting she1ves or brackets of iron D, with ledges rising from their rear, are attached to the onter bac]: ends of frame F. It will be manifest that the iibration of frame F upon its axis in one direction and of the cutter-bar upon axis E in a direction at right angles thereto, Wi11 aceommodate the range of the cutters to every irregularity of the fie1d of operation. The crank and cutters Wi11 operate to gether eqnal1y we1l to effect this change of cntting from right to 1eft if the crank W0rk direot1y nnder instead of over the pivot of the cutter-bar. \Vhat is reqnired is that the direction of the axis of the crank from the ontter-bars axis be at right angles 130 the 1owest ranges in which the bar is to be used when op erating. The object of this arrangement is to ailow the machine to be used by retnrning along the line of a swarth jnst ont instead of cntting continnonsly aronnd a body of grass or grain, and for the convenienee of side-hili mowing where the latter mode of cntting cannot be empioyed nniess to great disadvantage. There are also other circumstanoes and conditions of the grass or grain which maire it de sirable t0 1110W by cntting, retnrning along the last swarth.

VVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secnre by Letters Patent, is

The arrangement of the cutter-bar Ain ref erence to the crank operating the cutters, so that the axis of the one may be in snob position toward the othcr that the bar inay be swnng over from its working position on one side of the frame F 130 a similar position on the other and permit the crank to operate the eutters eqna11y we11 on either side, substantialiy as set forth in the within specification.

Dated the 17th day of October 1859.

ASA L. DARBY.

Wi tnesses:

HERMAN K. SHARPE, H. N. GOODMAN. 

